Not quite a bonsai question but a question nonetheless :-)

Hi all,

I have been lurking through the forums for quite some time even though I did not post much yet.

I am travelling to Japan this fall for almost 6 weeks and will be staying in Tokyo all this time. I wanted to get some opinions of what to see, where to go (bonsai related) besides the obvious Omiya bonsai village. I'd like also to bring something(s) back with me, pottery comes to mind as I know import into the US is nothing for the faint of heart.

Anybody has any recommendation ? I will be there from Sep10 through Oct 15th

Thanks in advance

We have several members who have been and are sure to assist you.

Try the Green Club in Ueno,every weekend,you will find everything you could wish for there.

Reach out to Bjorn Bjorholm with Bjorvala Bonsai Studio. He is in Japan (Tokyo I think) for the next year and may be able to help in a big way.

Good luck!!!
I'm sure you'll have a blast while you're there, especially for so long.
Sam

Ok, Ueno Green Club added to my trip to do list and I will try and contact Bjorn, thanks.

Anything else ?

Most (or many, maybe some, these days) of the big department stores on the Ginza and Nihonbashi will have bonsai and bonsai supplies. These are usually on the top floor (and the bonsai themselves are on the roof). Takeshimaya (sp) in Nihonbashi and Mitsukoshi in the Ginza and Nihonbashi both sold bonsai when I was last there (2000). Others may, too. Those are the ones I visited. And, of course, one could spend one's entire visit in either of these two districts -- especially if you are a collector of Oriental art and antiques as I am (would like to be).

You won't want to buy a plant while you are in japan . . . well, you will WANT to, but it's to danged hard to get them home . . . but supplies (pots, tools, etc.) are something else. The Department stores were well stocked and often can pack and ship them home for you. \

Finding the Green Club can be a bit difficult. Take the train or subway (don't bother with cabs; they will have no idea what you are talking about -- order a Japan Rail Pass from home before you go) to the Ueno Park or Shrine Station. As you leave the station you will see a large pond. Walk along the left bank (with Ueno Shrine behind the fence to your right) to the causeway ythat crosses the pond. Once across, turn right to the end of the pond. From here, veer left about a block, then turn right. This is all from memory. I had a Tokyo Bonsai itinerary typed out and saved at one time but I guess it vanished with a change of computers sometime.

Anyway, if you are lucky, you will find some pedestrian up at the upper end of the pond who speaks (or understands) some English who can point you to your destination.

Take a look at

http://www.bonsaiempire.com/bonsai-japan/shunkaen.

This is east of Tokyo, not too far from Disney and near a main train line.

There is an 800 yen admission charge.



A large pine



Long view

Buy an issue of Kindai bonsai and look in the ads pages for shops near you. You may have to ask a Japanese reader for reading addresses.

Alain Bertrand wrote:Buy an issue of Kindai bonsai and look in the ads pages for shop near you. You may have to ask a Japanese reader for reading addresses.

Good idea

Japanese Maple tree this season you can collect seed

tap pi lu wrote:Japanese Maple tree this season you can collect seed

That would be a late spring, early summer thing. Maples bloom, set seed and then leaf out.

Not to mention that it also is unlawful to bring exotic seeds into the USA -- though it is done all the time.

Maybe, but Tap Pi Lu is right : mapples set seeds in autumn.

Alain Bertrand wrote:Maybe, but Tap Pi Lu is right : mapples set seeds in autumn.

Not over here.

I don't have any American experience, but in Japan and Europe, every mapple I have seen sets seeds in autumn.

JimLewis wrote:

Alain Bertrand wrote:Maybe, but Tap Pi Lu is right : mapples set seeds in autumn.

Not over here.

Jim is right. Maple seeds in the Northern Hemisphere "set" in the spring after flowering but "mature" in autumn, close to or after leaf drop. I've had "incredible" success collecting maple seeds after the leaves have turned color. Near 100% success rate.

Good luck on your trip.

You should try the local cuisine while you're there. Ahhahahaha sorry I couldn't resist since noone else had said it.
Sam

PS - Alan, when you say set, do you mean "mature"? I thought maples behave the same in the Northern Hemisphere.

Alain, when you say set, do you mean "mature"?

Yes, sorry for the mistake.

So we do agree with Tap Pi Lu : a fall stay will be the good season to collect seeds in Japan.

Ok then, be that being the right season, I will neithe confirm or deny that I would potentially bring back seeds :-)

Thanks for all the info, as afar as local cuisine, I have not been ale to bring myself to set foot in a sushi restaurant in DC since I came back last fall (spent only a week, all work no play)

Make sure you save time for a day (or 2) trip up to Nikko. It's an easy train ride from Asakusa Station. That's my old stomping ground.

I second that. Nikko is an absolute must see. Bad taste brought to its best (gote-gote like the Japaneses say) to my opinion, but a must see. The Buddhist and Shinto priests there are not bad either. They are really persistent to end each explanation speech by an advertisement for the in-house talisman.

Hi grigri,

There are some fine exhibitions at the Ueno Green Club.Here are the schedules during your stay:

The 36th Tokyo Branch Exhibition / Shohin Bonsai Festival from Sept 14 to16.
Shop venue is the first floor. Exhibition is the second.
opening time:10:00am to 5:00pm Last day to 4:00pm

The 28th Nihon Suiseki Combined Exhibition from Sept 28 to 30.
Shop venue is the third floor. Exhibitions are the first and the second.
opening time:9:00am to 5:00pm Last day to 4:00pm

Syufu-ten from Oct 5 to 8.
Note:This is Sanyasou(Kusamono) exhibition not bonsai.
Shop and exhibition venue are the first and the second floor.
Opening time: 9:00am to 5:00pm　Last day to 4:00pm

If you prefer shohin to large bonsai, I recommend you go to Kawaguchi-city in Saitama prefecture.
The Kawaguchi Ryokka Center(Jurian Hall)'s website:
http://www.jurian.or.jp/en/index.html (English)
http://www.jurian.or.jp/(Japanese)

Be careful Bonsai & Greenery Fare on the Japanese top page above is 2011.
2012 event schedule at the Kawaguchi ryokka center is:

Soushu-Bonsai-ten from Sept 21 to 23.
Opening time: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Contents: Shohin and Large bonsai displays,pots, other displays/sale
Number of displays are 30, goods for sale are 2000.

Finally, Shibuya has got a nice mini bonsai shop.
The shop name is Ichimoku-Issou-Wa(一木一草話).
adrress: Shibuya-ku,Uehara1-2-18 1F
Opening time:11:00am to 8:00pm

There is also Mame Bonsai exhibition from Sept 22 to Oct 8 at Ichimoku- Issou-Wa.

The look of the shop are:
http://bonsai-dept.com/47itimokuhatiten.html


The owner of the shop, Mrs.Adachi has got reputation as kind hospitality,easy to talk or so from Japanese mini bonsai enthusiasts.

The exhibitions I have mentioned above are all free.

I would better stop now otherwise I am getting envy you more and more.
Good luck and have a safe bonsai explorer!

The 36th Tokyo Branch Exhibition / Shohin Bonsai Festival from Sept 14 to16.
Shop venue is the first floor. Exhibition is the second.
opening time:10:00am to 5:00pm Last day to 4:00pm

Jackie and I visited this one in 2000. We were taken in hand, given tea, asked to sign the guest register with brushes and ink (Boy did I mess THAT up!, but Jackie did fine. Next time she does it all!). We walked out later on laden with issues of Kinbon and other bonsai magazines, and many bows. The show was well worth it. I have some terrible pictures taken with an early point-and-shoot digital camera, but I review them often.

I bought several nice, old, used mame bonsai pots, one antique mame pot, and a hand-done shohin pot in the market area and in the outdoor Green Club sales area. Lots of fun pawing though large cardboard boxes of loosely stacked and tumbled tiny pots. Also fun looking at the trees and other plants for sale, though I knew it would be pretty foolish to spend a lot of money then try to get it back to the USA.

It is/was a fairly small show (of course, with small trees!) but you can easily spend a half -- or full-- day there.

Recommended if you are a fan of tiny trees.

Now I definitely have to go to the Green Club. Thanks for all that helped me compile a list of things to see.

I know I'll be tempted by the trees but at least should be able to bring back some pots, kusamono pots, tools.

What would be the best place to buy good quality/good price tools (carving, stainless tools, ...), Ueno shops also ?

Regards

What would be the best place to buy good quality/good price tools (carving, stainless tools, ...),

You may find better prices at the Department stores.

Remember, cutting tools cannot go home in carry-on luggage!

Remember, cutting tools cannot go home in carry-on luggage!

But no problem in checked luggage, I brought home two jin knives, one right and one left, last year.